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GOP formerly backed reform of health care

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What he neglected to say is that the law is similar to the health-insurance law Mitt Romney put
in place as governor of Massachusetts. In turn, the Massachusetts law was based on an idea put
forth by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Like other ideas once supported by
conservatives, the bill was rejected once it was identified with President Barack Obama.

Republicans and right-wing groups such as Americans for Prosperity have been plenty culpable in
contributing to the opposition of the health-care law. They play on the irrational, reflexive hate
many people have for anything associated with Obama. I really doubt if many of the people shouting
about the law in the most hateful way even understand what it could do for them.

Approximately 45 million people in the United States do not have health insurance, I’m sure
leading to many deaths. I have not heard of any credible health-insurance reform offered by the
Republicans in place of the Affordable Care Act. If they were sincere in doing something about the
problem of uninsured people, they would either work to improve Obamacare or offer another plan.

For my part, a single-payer system or Medicare for all would be the best option, but
conservatives would then rail against “government-run” health care. In fact, they do that now, even
though it is a ridiculous claim. Private insurance companies are very much involved in health care
under the reform law.